Feeding mechanisms for sewing machines



5 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR Herbs? ORNE Y Edward J BY W M c nm N w m 2 mmI E. J. HERBST FEEDING MECHANISMS FOR SEWING MACHINES Aug. 12, 195

Filed July 20, 1955 Aug. 12, 1958 E. J. HERBST FEEDING MECHANISMS FORsEwIm MACHINES 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed July 20, 1955 \XNN N. E 8 my 5 ,Ma. :N N m MUM 5 8 w: EWII W .I fi 1 3 M.. 8 MN. 8 T 8 8 8 E, w: m: x 2.mlL fin am I 5 I d W Em m2 Q 4 .EU I fil E E m N E. J. HERBST FEEDINGMECHANISMS FOR SEWING MACHINES 3 SheetsSheet s TORNE Y Aug. 12, 1958filed July 20, 1955 United States Patent FEEDING MECHANISMS FOR SEWINGMACHINES Edward J. Herbst, South Plainiield, N. J., assignor to TheSinger Manufacturing Company, Elizabeth, N. 5., a corporation of NewJersey Application July 20, 1955, Serial No. 523,296

6 Claims. (Cl. 112-210) This invention relates to feed-dog throw-outdevices associated with the feeding mechanism of sewing machines andmore particularly the invention relates to im proved means for operatingfeed-dog throw-out devices.

Various types of feed-dog throw-out devices, which are designed toinactivate or disable the work-feeding mechanism of a sewing machinewhen it is used for darning, embroidering and other similar operations,are known but many of the previous devices have been expensive tomanufacture and/0r difficult to operate. Therefore, the primary objectof the present invention is to provide an improved feed-dog throw-outdevice.

Another object of the invention is to provide a feeddog throw-out devicewhich will have a minimum amount of lost motion or shake.

With the above and other objects in view, as will hereinafter appear,the invention comprises the devices, combinations, and arrangements ofparts hereinafter set forth and illustrated in the accompanying drawingsof a preferred embodiment of the invention, from which the severalfeatures of the invention and the advantages attained thereby will bereadily understood by those skilled in the art.

In the drawings,

Fig. l is a bottom plan view of a portion of a familytype sewing machineembodying the present invention,

Fig. 2 is a sectional view taken on the broken line 2-2 of Fig. l andshows in elevation the feed-dog throw-out device,

Figs. 3A and 3B are sectional views taken on the broken lines 3A-3A ofFig. 2; Fig. 3A showing the feeding mechanism adjusted for normalsewing, and Fig. 3B showing the feeding mechanism disengaged for darningor embroidering,

Fig. 4 is an exploded perspective view showing parts of the device asillustrated in Figs. 1 through 3B,

Fig. 5 is a view similar to Fig. l but showing a bottom plan view of amodified form of feed-dog throw-out device,

Fig. 6 is a sectional view taken along the line 6-6 of Fig.5,

Fig. 7 is an elevationalview, partly in section and taken along the line7-7 of Fig. 7,

Fig. 8 is an enlarged sectional view taken on the line 8-8 of Fig. 5,

Fig. 9 is an enlarged sectional view taken on the line 9-9 of Fig. 7,

' Fig. 10 is a view, partly in section, taken on the line 10-10 of Fig.5, and

Fig. 11 is an exploded perspective view showing parts of the device asillustrated in Figs. .5 through 10.

In the selected embodiment of the invention illustrated in Figs. 1-4inclusive, numeral 16 designates-the bedplate or base of a family-typesewing machine. The lower side of the base 16 carries a plurality ofdepending lugs which in a known manner pivotally support a pair ofsubstantially conventional rock-shafts, one of a ce these being thefeed-advance rock-shaft 17 and the other being the feed-lift rock-shaft18. Suitable rocking movements are imparted to-the feed-advancerock-shaft 17 and to the feed-lift rock-shaft 18 by any of theconventional means, for example, as disclosed in U. S. Patent No.2,617,375. One end of the feed-advance rock-shaft 17 carries afeed-rocker 19 to the upper end of which is pivotally connected one endof a feed-bar 21. A central portion of the feed-bar 21, in a knownmanner, supports a feed-dog 22, whereas the end of the feed-bar 21remote from the feed-advance rocker 19 is formed with a fork 23 andthereby receives a feed-lift roller 24 in a manner similar to that shownin U. S. Patent No. 1,908,292.

The bed-plate 16 (Fig. 2) is provided with an elongated hole 26 whichaccommodates the upper end of an upstanding operating lever 27 themid-portion of which is pivotally supported on a pivot screw 28 securedto a depending web 29 formed on the bed-plate 16. The upper end of thisoperating lever 27 is provided with a fingerpad 31 which extends abovean escutcheon plate 32 carried on the bed 16, the finger-pad 31 beingaccessible from above the bed-plate 16. The lower end of the lever 27 ispivotally connected by a screw 33 to one end of an operating rod 34which extends horizontally below the bed-plate 16. The other end of theoperating rod 34 is pivotally connected by means of a screw 36 to adepending lug 37 formed on the reach 38 of a U-shaped slider 39. Theslider 39, as best seen in Fig. 4, has a pair of arms 41 and 42 eachbeing provided with a circular hole 43 by which the slider 39 is mountedfor slidable axial movement on the feed-lift rock-shaft 18. The arm 42of the slider 39 also has a depending leg 44 which is provided with anopen-ended curved slot 46.

The curved slot 46 accommodates a reduced portion 47 of the head of abullet-shaped cylindrical pin 48 having a tapered end 49. Thetapered-pin 48 is slidably positioned in a horizontally extendingcylindrical recess or hole 51 formed in the free end of a bracket 52which, by means of a split clamp 53 and screw 54, is secured to androcks with the feed-lift rock-shaft 18 of the sewing machine. The freeend of the bracket 52 is also provided with a hole 56 which extendsparallel to the rock-shaft 18 and parallel to the tapered-pin 48. Thehole 56 receives the shank 57 of a pivot-pin 58, this shank being heldin the hole 56 by a set screw 59. Pin 58, in addi tion to having theshank 57, has an enlarged portion 61 and a slotted head 62, and theshank 57 by passing through a hole 63 formed in a lever 64 pivotallysupports the said lever 64. The lever 64 is biased to move in aclockwise direction, as seen in Figs. 3A and 3B, about the pivot-pin 58by a coiled spring 66. To accomplish this, one end of the spring 66enters a hole 67 in the head 62 of the pin 58, and the other end of thespring 66 enters a hole 68 in the lever 64. The tension of the springmay be adjusted by loosening the set screw 59 and by turning the slottedhead 62 of the pin 58 with a screw-driver.

The lever 64 has an arm 69 the free end of which rotatably supports the,previously referred to, roller 24. The end of the lever 64 remote fromthe roller 24 has an open-ended U-shaped recess 71. The U-shaped recess71 has two substantially straight sides 72 and 74, which as shown inFig. 3A, may straddle the full circumferential portion of the taperedpin 48 when the end of said pin 48 is ejected from the hole 51 to theposition shown in solid lines in Figs. 1, 2 and 3A. When the pin 48 iswithdrawn to the position shown in dot-dot lines in Figs. 1 and 2 and asshown in solid lines in Fig. 3B, the spring 66 turns the lever 64 untilthe side 74 of the U-shaped recess 71 is close to the center line oraxis of the'pin 48. This lowers the feed-bar 21 and feed-dog 22 so thatthe latter will be below the normal feeding position. In this condition,the sewing machine may be used for darm'ng, embroidering, etc. When thepin 48 is moved from the position shown in dot-dot lines in Figs. 1 and2 to the position shown in solid lines in these same figures, thetapered end 19 of the pin 48 engage the side 74' of the U-shaped recess71 and moves the lever 64 counterclockwise about the pivot pin 58 andagainst the bias of spring 66 to the position shown in Fig. 3A. Thisraises the feedbar 21 and places the feed-dog 22 in a position toperform normal feeding for the conventional sewing operation. It will benoted (Figs. 3A, 3B and that the pivot hole 63 for the lever 64 is inline with the center line between the two sides 72 and 74 of theU-shaped recess 71. In other words, the axis of the hole 63 in the lever64 is contained in a plane extending midway between the two sides 7 2and 74 of the U-shaped recess '71. Because of this arrangementpractically all of the lost motion or shake which could exist betweenthe sides 7274 of the U-shaped recess 71 and the cylindrical side of thepin 48 is eliminated. This provides for quiet and efficient operation ofthe mechanism.

The operation of the hereinbefore described device is as follows.Movement of the operating lever 27 to the position shown in solid linesin Fig. 2, causes the rod 34 to move the slider 38 and the tapered pin48 to a position in which the tapered pin 48 enters the U -shaped recess'71. This connects the lever 64 to the bracket 52 and to the feed-liftrock-shaft 18. With this connection made the feed-bar 21 and feed-dog 22function to feed the work in a well known manner, When the operatinglever 27 is moved to the position shown in dash-dash lines in Fig. 2,the rod 34 and slider 39 retract the tapered pin 48 from engagement withthe U-shaped recess 71 of the leve 6 This allows the spring 66 to turnthe lever 64 to a position which will lower the feed-bar 21 and feed-dog22 to a position suitable for darning and embroidering.

The modified form of the invention, which is illustrated in Figs. l1,inclusive, comprises a bed-plate or base 116, the lower side of whichcarries a plurality of depending lugs which in a known manner pivotallysupport a feed-advance rock-shaft 117 and a feed-lift rockshaft 118.Suitable rocking movements are imparted to these shafts by conventionalmeans. The feed-advance rock-shaft 117 carries a feed-rocker 119 to theupper end of which is pivotally connected one end of a feed-bar 121. Acentral portion of the feed-bar 121 supports a feed-dog 122, whereas theend of the feed-bar 121 remote from the feed-advance rocker 119 isformed with a fork 123 and thereby receives a feed-lift roller 124! inthe same manner as that shown in Figs. 1-4.

A bushing 125 (Fig. 9) securely held in a vertically extending hole 126formed in the bed 116 pivotally carries a vertically disposed shaft 127,The upper end of the shaft 127 carries an upstanding operating knob 128located near to the front right-hand corner of the sewing machinebed-plate 116, this knob 128 being provided with a combination handleand pointer which cooperates with indicia (not shown) carried by thebed-plate 116. The lower end of the shaft 127 carries a horizontallydisposed lever 129 and a spring arm 130. The free end of the spring arm130 engages a notched detent portion formed on a segment plate 131suitably held to the lower end of the bushing 125. The shaft 127, lever129 and spring arm 130 are biased downwardly by a dished spring washer132. The free end of the lever 129 (Figs. 5 and 7) is pivotallyattached, by means of a screw 133 (Fig. 7), to one end of an operatingrod 134 which extends horizontally below the sewing machine bed 116. Theother end of the operating rod 134 is pivotally attached by means of ascrew 136 to the lower end of an upstanding U-shaped slider 139. Theslider 139, as best seen in Fig. 11, has a pair of arms 141 and 142,each being provided with a circular hole 143 by which the slider isslidably mounted on the feed-lift rock-shaft 118 (Fig. 7).

4 The arm 142 of the U-shaped slider 139 is also provided with anopen-ended curved slot 146.

The curved slot 146 accommodates a reduced portion 147 of the head of abullet shaped cylindrical pin 148 having a tapered end 149. The taperedpin 148 i slidably positioned in a horizontally extending cylindricalrecess or hole 151 formed in the free end of a bracket 152 which bymeans of a hole 153 and a pin 154 is secured to and rocks with thefeed-lift rock-shaft 118.

A double forked member 161) (Fig. 11) by means of a hole 185 ispivotally carried on the feed-lift rock-shaft 118. The bracket 152 andalso the feed-lift rock-shaft 118 to which the bracket is attached arebiased to move in a counterclockwise direction, as shown in Fig. 6 by acoiled spring 166 (Fig. 11). Turning of the feed-lift rock-shaft 118 bythe spring 166 causes the feed-lift roller 124 to move the feed-bar 121and feed-dog 122 to the lowered position, which position permits thesewing machine to be used for darning and embroidering. In order to biasthe bracket 152 and the shaft 118, one end of the spring 166 enters ahole 167 in the bracket 152, and the other end of the spring 166 entersa hole 168 in the forked member 160. One fork 181 of the member isformed by tines 182182, whereas the other fork 186 is formed by tines188-188. The fork 181 straddles a cam block 189 (Fig. 9) carried on arotary shaft 191 of the operating mechanism of the sewing machine. Thefork 186 is positioned substantially in line or register with the hole151 which receives the pin 148 and thus when the operating knob 128 isturned in the proper direction to eject the pin 148 from the hole 151,the tapered end 149 of the pin 148 engages the tines 188-188 therebymaking it possible for the pin 148 to connect the bracket 152 inoperative cooperation with the double forked member 1619. This causesthe feed-bar 121 and the feed-dog 122 to rise and fall as the cam block189 rotates in the fork 1811.

Attention is called to the curved slot 46 formed in the slider 39 and tothe corresponding curved slot 146 formed in the slider 139. In the firstembodiment (Fig. 1) it will be noted that the slider 39 is not fixed onthe shaft 18 whereas the bracket 52 is secured to the shaft by the screw54. It will be remembered that the pin 18 is carried by the bracket 52and that the reduced portion 47 of the pin 48 engages the slot 46. Thecurved shape of the slot 46 permits the pin 48 to move with respect tothe slider 39 as the feed-lift rock-shaft 18 oscillates. In like mannerthe slider 139 is not fixed on the shaft 118 whereas the bracket 152 issecured to the shaft by the pin 154. Also the pin 14-8 is carried by thebracket 152, the reduced portion 147 of the pin 148 engaging the slot146. The curved shape of the slot 146 permits the pin 148 to move withrespect to the slider 139 as the feed-lift rock-shaft 118 oscillates.

Having thus set forth the nature of the invention, what I claim hereinis:

1. A feed-dog throw-out device comprising in combination a feed-liftrock-shaft; a slider slidably mounted on though not rockable with saidfeed-lift rockshaft; an apertured bracket having one end secured to saidfeed-lift rock-shaft and therefore rockable therewith; a lever pivotallysupported on the other end of said bracket; a pin slidably mounted inone of the apertures in said bracket and thereby rockable with saidfeed-lift rock-shaft, one end of said pin being tapered to engage saidlever, and means connecting the other end of said pin to said slider forrocking of said pin relatively to said slider.

2. A feed-dog throw-out device comprising in combination a feed-liftrock-shaft; a slider slidably mounted on though not rockable with saidfeed-lift rock-shaft; an apertured bracket having one end secured tosaid feedlift rock-shaft and therefore rockable therewith; a leverpivotally supported on the other end of said bracket; said lever beingprovided with a U-shaped recess, the central plane bisecting saidU-shaped recess containing the axis of the pivotal support for saidlever; a pin slidably mounted in one of the apertures in said bracketand thereby rockable with said feed-lift rock-shaft, one end of saidpinbeing tapered to engage the U-shaped recess in said lever, and meansconnecting one end of said pin to said slider for rocking of said pinrelatively to said slider.

3. A sewing machine comprising in combination a feed-lift rock-shaft; afeed-bar; a feed-dog carried by said feed-bar; an apertured brackethaving one end secured to said feed-lift rock-shaft and thereforerockable therewith; a lever pivotally supported by the'other end of saidbracket, and said lever being provided with a U-shaped recess, thecentral plane bisecting said U- shaped recess containing the axis of thepivotal support for said lever; a roller supported on the free end ofsaid lever, and said roller engaging said feed-bar; means biasing saidlever with respect to said bracket; a tapered pin slidably mounted inone of the apertures in said bracket, said tapered pin having a firstportion adapted to enter the U-shaped recess on said lever; a sliderslidably mounted on said feed-lift rock-shaft, said slider beingprovided with an aperture for receiving a second portion of said taperedpin; and means for moving said slider.

4. A sewing machine comprising in combination a feed-lift rock-shaft; afeed-bar; a feed-dog carried by said feed-bar; an apertured bracketsecured to and rockable with said feed-lift rock-shaft; a pivot-pinsupported by the free end of said bracket; a lever supported on saidpivot-pin and said lever being provided with a U-shaped recess, thecenter line of said U-shaped recess being on a line which intersects theaxis of said pivot-pin; a roller supported on the free end of saidlever, and said roller engaging said feed-bar; means biasing said leverwith respect to said bracket, a tapered pin slidably mounted in one ofthe apertures in said bracket, said tapered pin having a first portionadapted to enter the U-shaped recess on said lever; a slider slidablymounted on said feed-lift rock-shaft, said slider being provided with anaperture for receiving a second portion of said slider; and means formoving said tapered pin.

5. A sewing machine comprising in combination a feed-lift rock-shaft; afeed-bar; a feed-dog carried by said feed-bar; an apertured bracketsecured to and rockable with said feed-lift rock-shaft; a pivot-pinsupported by the free end of said bracket, said pivot-pin having a head;a set screw for adjustably securing said pivot-pin 6 to said bracket; alever supported on said pivot-pin and said lever being provided with aU-shaped recess,

the center line of said U-shaped recess being on a line which intersectsthe axis of said pivot-pin; a roller supported on the free end of saidlever, and said roller engaging said forked feed-bar; a coiled springhaving one of its ends engaging the head of said pivot-pin and its otherend engaging said lever; a tapered pin slidably mounted in one of theapertures in said bracket, said tapered pin having a first portionadapted to enter the U-shaped recess on said lever; a slider slidablymounted on said feed-lift rock-shaft, said slider being provided with anaperture for receiving a second portion of said slider; and means formoving said tapered pin.

6. A sewing machine comprising in combination a feed-advance rock-shaft;a feed-lift rock-shaft; a forked feed-bar one end of which is pivotallycarried by said feed-advance rock-shaft; a feed-dog carried by saidfeed-bar; an apertured bracket clamped to and rockable with saidfeed-lift rock-shaft; a pivot-pin supported by the free end of saidbracket, said pivot-pin having a head; a set screw for adjustablysecuring said pivot-pin to said bracket; a lever supported on saidpivot-pin and said lever being provided'with a U-shaped recess, the axisof said pivot-pin being intersected by the center line of said U-shapedrecess; a roller supported on the free end of said lever, and saidroller engaging said forked feed-bar; a coiled spring having one endengaging the head of said pivot-pin and its other end engaging saidlever; a bullet shaped tapered pin slidably mounted in one of theapertures in said bracket, said tapered pin having a reduced headportion adapted to enter the U-shaped recess on said lever; a two-armedU-shaped slider having a hole in each arm by which the slider is mountedon said feed-lift rock-shaft, and one of said arms being provided with acurved open-ended slot receiving the reduced head portion of saidtapered pin; an operating rod one end of which is pivotally connected tosaid slider; an operating lever pivotally supported by said sewingmachine; and means for pivotally connecting said operating lever to oneend of said operating rod.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS2,718,202 Johnson ct 1 Sept. 20, 1955' FOREIGN PATENTS 298,049 GreatBritain Oct. 4, 1928 Au ust 12, 1958 Patent No. 2,846,965

Edward J, Herbst pears in the -printed specification It is herebycertified that error ap rection and that the said Letters of the abovenumbered patent requiring cor Patent should read as corrected below.

'7" read Fig 5 column 5, line "slider; and means for moving and insertinstead w tapered Signed and sealed this 18th day of November 1958.,

(SEAL) Attest:

KARL H. AXLINE Attesting Officer ROBERT C. WATSON Commissioner ofPatents

